Face the challenge and overcome the challenge; that was the task for Hong Kong’s Hung Ka Tak in the first round of the Junior Boys’ Singles event at the Brazil Junior and Cadet Open in Rio de Janeiro as the morning session of play closed on Saturday 14^th September 2013.

He faced Poland’s Patryk Zatowka, who like Hung Ka Tak, has very much his eyes on a place in the Youth Olympic Games World Qualification Tournament in Vilanova de Gaia, Portugal next January.

Prior to the start of proceedings in Rio de Janeiro, Hung Ka Tak stood at no.2 on the Road to Nanjing listings with Patryk Zatowka at no.11; however the Polish teenager occupied the highest place for a player from Europe.

Tough Draw
There was a great deal at stake in the duel and in coaches’ parlance, it was a tough draw; Patryk Zatowka was the no.11 seed, the reason for the earlier than planned meeting was owing to the fact that Patryk Zatowka had suffered an unexpected defeat in the first phase of proceedings against Argentina’s Diego Teplitzky and had finished in second place in his group.

Hung Ka Tak prevailed but it was a testing first round encounter, matters going the full seven games distance (8-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-8, 8-11, 11-4).

High Skill Level
“He has a high skill level”, reflected Hung Ka Tak. “In particular his backhand was very strong; it was a really difficult match.”

More Comfortable
A difficult contest most certainly but for the other leading players, life was more comfortable.

The host nation’s Hugo Calderano, the no.1 seed, accounted for Theodore Tran of the United States (11-6, 11-9, 11-6, 11-7); the Czech Republic’s David Reitspies, the no.3 seed, defeated Hugo Calderano’s colleague, Matheus Shimoki (11-3, 10-12, 11-7, 11-4, 11-4); whilst Chinese Taipei’s Yang Heng-Wei, the no.4 seed, ended the hopes of Argentina’s Francisco Sanchi (11-3, 11-5, 10-12, 11-7, 11-3).

Diego Teplitzky Continues Good Form
It was success as seeding very much predicted, the one upset of note being the continued progress of Diego Teplitzky; the no.23 seed, he ousted the host nation’s Massao Kohatsu, the no.17 seed, in what proved to be the closest match of the round (9-11, 11-7, 13-11, 13-11, 6-11, 4-11, 12-10)

Principal Names Succeed
Similarly, in the Junior Girls’ Singles event, it was a first round success for the principal names.

Germany’s Nina Mittelham, the no.1 seed, beat Chinese Taipei’s 13 year old Chen Ting-Ting (11-7, 11-5, 11-4, 11-7), whilst Brazil’s Caroline Kumahara, the no.2 seed, defeated Chen Ting-Ting compatriot Lee En-Chi (8-qq, 11-3, 12-10, 11-8, 11-3).

Earlier in the proceedings 14 year old Lee En-Chi had partnered Chen Ting-Ting to Cadet Girls’ Team success.

Third and Fourth Seeds Succeed
First round wins for the top two seeds, it was the same for the third and fourth seeds in the opening round of the Junior Girls’ Singles event.

Chinese Taipei’s Chiu Ssu-Hua, the third seed, accounted for Germany’s Wan Yuan, the fifth seed, in a close seven games duel (12-10, 4-11, 11-4, 11-5, 16-18, 5-11, 11-7) who one day earlier had finished in second place in her group; whilst Chantal Mantz, the fourth seed and also from Germany, overcame Brazil’s Leticia Nakada (11-2, 9-11, 11-7, 11-7, 9-11, 11-7).

Article by: ITTF - Ian Marshall

Photo By: Manfred Schillings